Josh Naylor Reflects On 2022 Season, Return From Injury, Time With Brother Bo

Cleveland's first baseman is in a great place - mentally and physically - as the Guardians start the playoffs vs. Tampa Bay.

One year ago right now, Josh Naylor was in a pretty dark place.

He suffered an absolutely awful leg injury in Minnesota last summer and had an incredibly long road to recovery in front of him.

The Guardians power-hitting first baseman was diagnosed with a closed fracture and dislocation of the right ankle, which required pretty serious surgery to repair. He also tore ligaments in his ankle, which further complicated his journey back to full health.

Miraculously, he was able to get back on his feet and fully participate in Spring Training. He was on the Opening Day Roster and stayed mostly healthy all season long, igniting the franchise with his emotionally charged at bats. He turned in a great year, finishing the regular season with 20 home runs, 79 RBI and an .OPS of .771.

Admittedly, his magical night in Chicago on May 9 may have been the most intense moment of the season.

Naylor hit an RBI-double in the eighth inning, a game-tying grand slam in the ninth and a three-run mammoth shot in the 11th to secure a 12-9 win over the White Sox that night. In doing so, Elias Sports Bureau confirmed Naylor is the only player since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920 to drive home at least eight runs in the eighth inning or later in a single game.

Combine that moment with the one where Myles Straw and the Guardians were ready to throw down with some Yankees fans that threw trash and beer bottles at him in right-center field two weeks prior, and it became pretty obvious that this was a close knit team that had something pretty special.

Naylor was emotional with the media in Spring Training while talking about how challenging his road back to full health was. He leaned really hard on family, friends and teammates as he tried to rehab. Among those he leaned on - his brother Bo, who he now shares a dugout with as the Guardians try to make a run to a World Series championship.

He even admitted to needing a second to lock back in when Wednesday's season-finale first started because he found himself thinking about everything he'd been through the last 12 months.

Just don't tell Aaron Civale that he was staring off into the stands for a moment.

I think you'll really enjoy what Naylor had to say to the media this afternoon at his press conference previewing the post-season. He was genuine, authentic, unapologetic for his intensity on the field and eager to show everyone that Cleveland can continue to defy the national expectations this October.

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